Apparatus for applying curved dip tubed closures to containers



Oct. 19, 1965 R. F. WONNEMAN 3,212,173

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CURVED DIP TUBED CLOSURES T0 CONTAINERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1964 I, "II

INVENTOR. ROMAN FRANCIS WONNEMAN Oct. 19, 1965 R. F. WONNEMAN 3,212,173

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CURVE'D DIP TUBED CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 21, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 |h I4 57 ///7 A Z 77A INVENTOR. ROMAN FRANC|S WONNEMAN Oct. 19, 1965 R. F. WONNEMAN 3,212,173

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CURVED DIP TUBED CLOSURES T0 CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 21, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ICES Q INVENTOR 56 5 4 ROMAN FRANCIS WONNEMAN United States Patent 3,212,173 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING CURVED DIP TUBED CLOSURES T0 CONTAINERS Roman Francis Wonneman, 9621 Harding Ave., Baltimore, Md. Filed Feb. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 346,453 19 Claims. (Cl. 29-208) This invention relates in general to the art of assembling closures to containers. More specifically, this invention relates to apparatus for placing dip tubed closures of the types used in aerosol or pressure packages on containers. Conventionally referred to as a valve, or dispensing valve, said closures generally include a metal or plastic cap, a manually operable spring loaded valve, a dip tube and a valve operating button, the assembled combination of which is used to substantially seal the package, and, at the same time, to provide a ready means for the ultimate user to dispense the pressurized contents of the container at will without removing the closure from the container. The dip tube portion of the valve closure is generally of a flexible plastic material and is arcuately shaped. The length is usually proportionate to the height of the dip tube the container to which the closure is to be applied. The location of the lower extremity of the dip tube inside the pressurized container is important to the correct functioning of the package, in that the dip tube opening at the lowest extremity thereof should always be in the circumferential area formed by the connection of the container end or bottom, and the side wall of the container. Accord-ing to the requirements of various pressure packaging operations, the valve is firmly seated onto the container openings; or the valve is gravitationally dropped onto the opening. In both requirements, the cap portion of the closure assembly is ultimately interlocked with the container opening for permanent assembly thereto, in an operation following the valve inserting function of the present invention. In the application of applying dip tubed closures to containers by gravity, or by manual means, air entrapped in the dip tube imparts a buoyant effect to the closure to cause it to float out of the container; or, the lowest extremity of the dip tube inside the container may be mis-located; or, the speed of application of the closure is affected according to the density of the container contents.

The present invention is generally described as apparatus for attachment to endless belt conveyors of the type used in pressure packaging operations. One type of conveyor transports spaced and aligned containers in successive intermittent motions to each operation. In specified and limited installations, however, the present in vention can be equipped with an integral conveyor, the combination of which is attachable to other endless belt conveyors; or, in the absence of such conveyors, the present invention can be triggered into cyclic operation by manual placement of a container against the triggering portion of the device. In addition, the general features of the present invention can be employed in the form of a plurality of units with a common feed and common sequence operating means for continuous higher speed and capacity operation in conjunction with transfer means to and from an endless conveyor system in offset relation thereto as shown and described in my copending applica tion No. 346,501 filed of even date herewith and entitled Rotary Apparatus for Continuously Assembling Flexible Curved Dip Tube Closures to Containers. Also, the gen eral features of the present invention can be employed with a rectilinear motion of the actuating means rather than with an arcuate motion, in an offset relation as in said copending application, as well as in and in-line relation above an endless conveyor as disclosed in my copending application No. 347,075 filed of even date herewith entitled Inline Apparatus for Assembling Flexible Dip Tube Closures to Containers.

The principal object of this invention therefore is to provide apparatus for removing individual dip tube closures from an alignment of closures in a chute at an upper level with the said dip tubes extending downwardly towards a lower level from the cap portion of the closure assembly, and forcing said closure cap into an upper gripping element under the head of a closure pressure applying member and lower tube guide member underneath the gripping element, with separate actuating means for moving the pressure applying element and tube guide member from an upper level to a lower level at which the pressure applying member causes the gripping element to drive the dip tube into a container, and the head to place or drive the closure cap onto the container. With the present embodiment the invention is attached to the frame or supporting structure of an endless belt conveyor in offset relation to the path of travel of said endless belt conveyor, and with said apparatus triggered into cyclic operation as above by the presence of a con-, tainer on said conveyor in positional location relative to said apparatus.

A more specific object of the present invention is the novel conception of the generic construction and sequential operation of a general system of parts of an apparatus for feeding individual closures into the apparatus; for gripping the cap portion on said closures; for aligning the dip tube portion of said closures over the container opening; for guiding said dip tube into the opening of a container on a conveyor; for applying the closure cap onto the container; and, especially the manipulative means, triggering means, and sequence operating means used to accomplish the above sequential operation with further specific means whereby the apparatus is adjustably adaptable to operate with various sizes of containers and with various lengths of dip tubes with various arcuate configurations; and, the means in the apparatus for forcibly driving said dip tube into the contents of the container wherein the cap portion of the closure assembly is forcibly driven onto the container or wherein the cap portion of said closure is lightly placed on the container opening.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention in which the main features are employed in a skillful form and manner; that is, the closure applying and guiding members and their related parts are all arranged in offset relation at one side of a conveyor for each container to be provided with a closure in accordance with the invention, with the actuating and operating means in the form of arcuately oscillating rocker arms and rotatable cams for operation on containers while at rest during intermittent motion on endless belt conveyors. The invention is not limited in all aspects to these embodiments shown on the drawings. The novel features of this invention may be used in other ways, and for other uses as aforesaid; such as in-line superposed relation of the main elements over the portion of the conveyor carrying the container in which rectilinear operation of the tube guide member, grip element, and pres sure applying head is provided with pneumatic means, or by cams, or with the main features of the invention in ofiset relation with transfer means for operation with containers in continuous motion as described in the aforesaid copending application.

The pressure applying member or head and the tube guide member with their separate actuating means are arranged for moving the head and guide from an upper level at which a container closure witha dip tube is to be received below the head to a lower level at which the head is to drive the dip tube into and the closure onto a container. The closure grip element is movable in unison with the pressure applying member from the upper level to the lower level. This grip element is mounted in position below the pressure applying head to receive a container closure with a dip tube below the head on said upper level for transfer to a container at the lower level. For this transfer, manipulative means are provided for the gripping element which means are mounted for movement from the upper level to the lower level in unison with the actuating mechanism for the pressure applying head. The manipulative means are operable for the gripping element to firmly grasp the received container closure at the upper level and to release the same at the lower level. The tube guide member is limited in its upward movement to come to rest slightly above the gripping element at the upper level and is also provided with manipulative means to close the guide member around a dip tube at a lower level and to open the guide element to clear the path for the movement of the gripping member and the pressure applying head member past the guide member at a lower level in applying the closure onto a container. These operations of the manipulative means for the grip element and the tube guide member are affected in sequence or timed relation relative to each other and to the operation of the actuating means for moving the pressure applying member head and the tube guide member between the upper and lower levels by means of cams and cam followers. Likewise the actuation of the actuating means is effected in timed sequences, individualized for each container, such actuation being initiated by a mechanism set into operation by the operation of an element which is operated when a container is moving into a predetermined position by a conveyor for application of a closure element. The feed of the closures to the gripping element is also under the control of the same element which is operated when a container on said conveyor is moving into a predetermined position for capping with a closure. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the preferred sequence of operation comprises applying a closure element that has been slidably and forcibly inserted into the gripping elements in the upper position of the pressure applying member only when the unit is set into motion by the movement of a container into position for capping. The tube guide member is moved down along the tube to center it for insertion into a container opening, and this is followed by the movement of the closure applying member comprising the gripping element and the pressure applying member or head which moves downwardly together with the gripping element carrying the closure. As the gripping element approaches the position of the tube guide member over the container opening, the tube guide member opens to allow the gripping element and pressure applying head to pass on through. As the gripping element passes the seat for the container closure, the gripping element opens to release the closure cap and the pressure applying head then presses the closure onto the container seat and depresses the valve for the dip tube. This is followed by the simultaneous upward movement of both the tube guide member and the closure applying member to the upper level where the closures are fed into the gripping element from a feed chute.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a horizontal plan view in elevation of one embodiment of the present invention affixed in 90 ofiset relation to a conveyor transporting containers thereon in the direction indicated by an arrow.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1 to illustrate the 4 4- ferring said closure from said chute to gripping elements of the closure applying member.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view in elevation taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1 to illustrate the relation to each other of the cam follower arms means for manipulating the closure applying arm element and tube guide arm.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view in elevation taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 3 to illustrate means for transmitting rotary motion and power from an electric motor through an endless belt to a solenoid tripped single revolution clutch.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and illustrates the closure cap, tube guide jaws and pressure element in relative lower level position after the closure assembly has been inserted onto or in the container.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view in elevation taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2 with parts in section to illustrate means for opening the gripping element that holds the closure shell or cap, and to also show means for opening the tube guiding jaws which surround the valve assembly dip tube.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional horizontal plan view of the gripping elements and tube guide elements taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 5 to illustrate the configuration of said gripping elements and tube guide member and to further illustrate their relative position after the closure assembly has been inserted in the container.

FIGURES 8, 9, 10, 11, are diagrammatic views to illustrate the sequence of mechanical operations on the container closure as carried out by the present invention.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic wiring diagram illustrating the electrical circuit of the sensing and clutch solenoid elements.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view in elevation taken along 13-13 of FIGURE 5 to illustrate means employed to transfer individual closure assemblies from an alignment thereof in an alignment chute to the gripping element portions of the rocker arms.

FIGURE 14 is a horizontal partial sectional view of the single revolution clutch mechanism and is taken along lines 14-14 of FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2, 4, 5, and 14 of the drawings, the valve and container closure inserting or applying machine 20, consists in general of a main base 21, containing a drive housing 22, a drive housing adjustable pedestal 23, a closure applying member 58, a closure applying arm 24, a tube jaw lever 25, a closure feed chute 26, closure transfer elements 28, sensing elements 27 and a container height gage assembly 37. The main base 21, is shown with its adjustable pedestal 23 attached to the frame 29 of a conveyor 30 and in a horizontally offset relation perpendicular to the direction of travel of the packaging conveyor 30 which direction is shown by an arrow on FIGURE 1. The driving mechanisms of the inserting machine consists of a stationary arm shaft 31 and a rotatable cam shaft 32, which are parallel to each other and parallel to the direction of travel of the packaging conveyor 30. These are substantially affixed to the drive housing 22 to which an electric motor 33 is also afiixed. The closure applying arm 24 and the tube guiding arm 25 are all freely rotatably affixed to the stationary arm shaft 31. Operating cams for the closure applying arm, the tube guide lever and the closure transfer elements are keyed to the rotatable cam shaft 32 so that when the cam shaft 32 rotates, each of the cams will rotate with it. To transmit the rotary motion of the electric motor drive pulley 33 to the cam shaft 32 a frictionally operable single revolution clutch 40 having a driven pulley 41 rotatably affixed to the cam shaft 32 a friction disc 42 affixed to the face surface of a driving element 43 is keyed to the cam shaft 32.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 4, 5, and 14, the driving element 43 is provided with a projection 46 normally in engagement with a plunger 47 portion of a solenoid 48 to resist rotational motion of the driven pulley 41 in surface frictional engagement with a friction disc 42 portion of the driving element 46. A pressure spring 44 and pressure adjusting nut 45 is provided on the cam shaft to adjustably force the driven pulley 41, into frictional engagement with the driven member 46 so that rotary motion of the drive pulley 38 is transmitted from the motor 33 by an endless belt 49 to the cam shaft 32 by said frictional engagement when the solenoid plunger 47 is Withdrawn from engagement with the driving element projection 46.

The elements of the slip clutch described are substantially annular in shape and are slidably assembled to the cam shaft 32 whereon the driving element 46 is keyed to the cam shaft so that when the element projection 46, during its annular path of travel engages the solenoid plunger 47, to interrupt further rotation of said shaft 32 while the driven pulley 41 slips in its frictional engagement with the friction disc 42 to continue rotating. The solenoid has been .the subject of previous disclosures and suflice it to say that when the solenoid coil is energized by an electric current, the plunger is withdrawn by an electromagnetic force against the action of a return spring enclosed in the solenoid housing. When de-energized, the plunger returns to its extended position by the reaction of said spring.

Sensing elements 27 for triggering the solenoid are also used in the apparatus for releasing individual ones of an alignment of closures in the feed chute 26 to the actions of a transfer element 28 as shown in FIGURES l, 2, and 13. Said sensing element 27 consisting of a trigger lever 36 and a closure release lever 53 afiixed to a rotatable shaft 50 a shaft and closure chute support 51 are affixed to the frame 29 of the packing conveyor by means of a support 51. The trigger lever 36 aflixed to the rotatable shaft 50 is positioned by the engagement of the closure release lever 53 with the closure feed chute 26 against the action of a tension spring 52. The trigger lever 36 and closure rel-ease lever 53 operate in substantially a horizontal plane through the action of a container on the moving conveyor which container impinges trigger lever 36 to rotatably move the shaft 50 against the action of the tension spring 52. A connecting rod 54 transmits the arcuate motion of the trigger lever 36 to a switch lever 55 which engages a micro switch 56 to close an electrical circuit to the solenoid 48.

The closure applying arm 24, has at one end an operator pin 57 and a journal for the stationary shaft 31 and at the other end a driver head 58 a pair of spring loaded grip jaws 59, a jaw opening wedge 60, grip jaw leaf spring 61, a valve actuator 62, a tube guide operating wedge 35, a grip jaw holder 63, and a grip jaw holder return spring 64. Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, the closure applying arm 24 arcuately rotates about the stationary shaft 31 through the action of an applying arm cam 65 on a roller 66 portion of a bellcrank 67 rotatably afiixed to a fulcrum shaft 91. The arm cam 65 is keyed to the cam shaft 31 and is positionally shown at FIG- URE 3 to position arm 24 at its uppermost arcuate posi- .tion as further illustrated in FIGURE 2. A push rod 68 slidably journaled in the main housing 22 is in engagement at one end with a closure arm pin 57 so that the cam actuated bellcrank 67 imparts its motion to a shoulder 69 portion of said rod 68 against the action of a compression spring 70. Said motion causes the applying arm 24 to arcuately rotate to its lowermost position as illustrated in FIGURE 5 and the arm returns to its original uppermost position through the action of the spring 70.

The driver head 58 portion of the closure applying arm 24 is of unitary construction, has a slot 71 to receive the closure valve actuating button 72, is spring loaded and slidably aflixed to the end of the arm 24. Upon application of uneven pressures against the driver head 58 the spring 73 will compress .to compensate for said uneveness.

An annularly shaped valve actuator 62 is threadably aflixed to the arm 24 in superposed relation to the slot 71 in the aforesaid driver head 59. A substantially annular-shaped grip jaw wedge 60 is threadably affixed to the applying arm 24 parallel and adjacent to the said driver head 58.

A grip jaw holder 63 slidably inserted in the arm 24 parallel and adjacent to the aforesaid opening wedge 60 supports a pair of arcuately rotatable grip jaws 59 adjacent to but below the driver head, and is positionally held in place by the action of a leaf spring 64 against a retaining ring 74 affixed to the annular shank of said holder. Each grip jaw 59 extends from the holder 63 underneath and slightly below the driver head 58 and being rotatably afiixed to the holder 63 is held in position relative to each other by portions of the wedge 60 and by the actions of a leaf spring 61. The said grip jaws as shown in FIGURE 7, are arcuately rotatable about a shaft 75 portion of the jaw holder against the action of said leaf spring 61 and are configurated at the regions of their outermost extremities to slidably receive and substantially grip the cap portion of the container closure, as shown in FIGURES 8, 9, and 10, on the outside peripheral surfaces thereof in regions below the sealing ring portions of the said cap.

The tube guide arm 25 that is rotatably affixed to the stationary arm shaft 31, adjacent the closure applying arm 24 is held in its uppermost position of arcuate travel against the action of a tension spring 92 by the engagement of a latch 34 arcuately rotatable around a latch pin 88 affixed to the outermost wall surface portion 89 of the tube arm, with a latch pawl 76 aflixed to the closure arm 24. Means for disengaging the latch 34 from the latch pawl 76 consisting of a latch cam 79, affixed to the cam shaft 32, a latching trip lever 86, a tension spring 78, and a latch push shaft 77, are shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. A fulcrum shaft 91, supported at each of its ends by side wall portions of the drive housing 22 is adjacent, and substantially parallel to the cam shaft 31, and supports thereon an arcuately rotatable latch trip lever 86, one end of which is in slidable engagement with an annularly shaped rectilinear bar 77 slidably journaled in the drive housing 22. One end of a tension spring 78 affixed to the lever 86 and to the drive housing 22 at its other end positions a cam roller 87 portion of the lever 86 in frictional engagement with the latch cam 79 so that the bar 77 will slide in its journal to impinge the latch 34 arcuately rotating said latch 34 from engagement with the pawl 76 against the action of a leaf spring 90. On disengagement of the latch and pawl as described, the tube arm arcuately rotates about the stationary shaft 31, towards the lowermost arcuate position under the action of a tension spring 92 and is interrupted in its downward arcuate path by an adjustable stop 93 afiixed to the closure applying arm 24.

Each one of the pair of guide jaws which are rotatably aflixed to the tube arm 25 by means of pins 84 consists of a hub 81, a plate section 82, and a sleeve section 83. The jaws 80 .open and close according to the arcuate position of the tube arm 25 under .the actions of a jaw opening wedge 35 aflixed to the applying arm 25 and against the actions of leaf springs afiixed to the tube arm 25.

In order to slidably force an individual closure from the feed chute 26 into the grip jaws 59 a transfer means 28 is provided as shown in FIGURES 1, 4, and 13, comprises an operating lever 95, an operating cam 96, linkage 97, slide bar 98, feed member 94, stop member 103, a

journal portion 99 of the support 51, and a return tension in regions above the feed chute parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor. As shown in FIGURE 13, the transverse feed member 94 and stop member 103 are substantially rectilinear in shape in order to slide in the apertures of the side wall portions of the feed chute and the opposing ends of each member 94 and 103 are angularly configurated and are in parallel and spaced relation so that when the feed member 94 is slidably moved in the aperture of the feed chute 26, the stop bar moves in unison with it until the space between the member 94 and bar 103 are alinged with the chute 26 to allow the closure cap further gravitational passageway in the chute until it is interrupted in its passage by the angular face of the stop bar 103. Actuation of the transfer means is accomplished by the action of a feed cam 95 on linkages 97 and slide bar 98 against the action of a tension spring 100.

Accordingly the electric motor 33 operates the driven pulley 41 continuously while the packaging conveyor 30 is moved intermittently past the base 21 for applying closures to open ended containers. As a container on the conveyor meets and engages the triggers rod 36 of the sensing elements 27 it arcuately rotates the rod 36 and the shaft 50 against the action of a tension spring 52 to release an individual closure from an alignment thereof in upper level portions of the feed chute 26 to lower level regions of said chute where its gravital descent therein is interrupted by the interference of portions of a stop bar 103 element of a closure transfer means 28. Simultaneously with the release of said closure, the switching element 56 is actuated by a linkage 55 affixed to the trigger arm 36 by a connecting rod 39 to energize coils of the solenoid 48 through electrical circuit portions of the apparatus. Electro-magnetic forces generated in the energized coils act on the solenoid plunger 47 against actions of a compression spring to withdraw said plunger 47 from interference engagement with projecting element 46 portions of the drive plate element 43 of the single revolution clutch 40. It is to be noted that when the solenoid plunger 47 is in engagement with projecting element 47 portions of said driver plate 43 which is keyed to the cam shaft 32 slippage occurs between the friction disc 42 driver plate 43 and driven pulley 41 against actions of a compression spring 44 and the driven pulley 44 continues in uninterrupted rotary motion while said cam shaft 32 is at rest.

The conveyor carries the container past the sensing elements 27 and related release elements 53 to correctly position it for valve insertion while said sensing and closure release elements return to normal arcuate position under the action of the return spring 52. With the solenoid plunger being disengaged from projecting elements of the driver plate, slippage between various elements of the single revolution clutch is overcome by actions of the compression spring 44 portion of said clutch, and motion of the driven pulley 41 is imparted to the cam shaft 32 by the driver plate 43 and its key 4311.

With the closure applying arm 24 and tube guiding arm 25 in their normal and uppermost arcuate position as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the cap grip jaws 59 on the closure applying arm 24 are in surface alignment with discharge portions of the closure feed chute 26 so that an initial movement of the cam shaft 32 and feed cam 96 portions of the stop bar 103 element of the closure transfer means 28 obstructing gravitational passage of the released closure in the chute 26 are transversely and slidably moved out of their aperture in said feed chute 26 while, at the same time, angular shaped portions of the feed slide member 94 enter an opposite aperture in side wall portions of the chute 26 to impinge the closure cap at regions thereof below the sealing ring to slidably force the closure cap from the chute and into gripped enegagement with the aforesaid cap grip jaws 59.

The foregoing movements of the cap transfer means 28,

8 are made by interactions of the cap feed cam 96, linkages 97 and slide bar 98.

With the closure cap firmly gripped in the cap jaws 59 latch trip tension spring 78 causes impingement of the slide bar 77 against the latch 34 portion of the tube arm 25 when the latch cam 65 rotates with cam shaft 32. Said impingement disengages latch 34 from latched engagement with the latch pawl 76 portion of the closure applying arm 24. The tube arm 25 swings from its normal uppermost position downwardly towards the container opening under actions of a tension spring 92 transporting the tube guide 80 and leaf springs along with it. During portions of their arcuately downward path of travel, the tube guides gradually close toward each other against the contoured jaw opening wedge 35 under the actions of their leaf springs 85. On closing, sleeve portions 83 of the tube guides 80, substantially surround but do not grip dip tube portions of the valve while the tube arm 25 simultaneously continues in its arcuately downwardly path of travel departing the wedge 35 being interrupted in its arcuate travel by impingement of said arm 25 on an adjustable stop 93 affixed to the closure applying arm 24. Said interruption is set to adjustably occur when sleeve portions 83 of the tube guides 80 are at a portion of their arcuately downward travel in regions of the closure dip tube extremity. The adjustable stop 93 is provided as an adjustment for limiting arcuate downward travel of the sleeve portions 83 according to dip tube lengths. Sleeves 80, being in surrounding relation to the flexible curved dip tube, force the extremity of said dip tube to align with the container opening.

When the extremity of the flexible dip tube is aligned with the container opening, the closure applying cam 65 actuates the push rod 68, to arcuately rotate the closure applying arm 24, from its normal uppermost arcuate position, downwardly, towards the container opening. Further arcuate travel of the tube arm 24 at rest on the adjustable stop 93 affixed to the closure applying arm 24, occurs simultaneously with the arcuately downward movement of the said applying arm 24, until the tube arm 25 is further interrupted at its lowest position of arcuate travel in its further impingement on an adjustable positioning element 25a of a gage 37 affixed to the base 21 of the apparatus.

When the closure applying arm 24 swings in a previously measured arc of sufficient magnitude to drive the flexible dip tube extremity well into the container, the tube jaw opening wedge 35 wedges between each of the tube guides 80, to reopen them to their normally open position. The closure applying arm continues in its downward path, carrying the valved closure with it until a leading portion of the closure shell of the valve enters the container opening whereupon the slidably afl'ixed grip jaw holder 63 is interrupted in its arcuate path of travel with and relative to the aid arm 24, by its impingement against a secondary stop 24a portion of the said gage 37, while the grip arm 24 continues its downward path of travel transporting the cap jaw opening wedge 60 with it. This forces the cap jaws 59 to their normally open position to completely release the cap portion of the valve assembly from engagement with the grip jaws to allow clear passage of the driver head 58, and to force the closure onto the container against the action of a compression spring 73, between the said driver and portions of the arm 24. When the driver head 58 impacts the closure shell forcing it onto the container, the valve actuator 62 portion of the applying arm 24 depresses a spring element of the closure assembly valve to release the compressed atmosphere in the flexible dip tube. Having completed the valve inserting, capping, and atmosphere releasing operation, the latch pawl 76 on the arm 24 engages latch 34, and the arms 24 and 25, together with their respective elements simultaneously return to their normal and arcuately uppermost position through the action of the compression spring 70. During portions of the arcuately upward path of travel of the applying arm 24, jaw holder 63 slidably returns to its normal position in the closure applying arm 24 under the action of the leaf spring 64 at which position the grip jaws 59 are closed under actions of the grip jaw spring 61. The grip jaw opening wedge 60, and the holder stop 24a are theadably afiixed to their respective supporting elements as means for adapting the apparatus adjustable for handling and inserting valved closures having caps or shells of varying dimensions.

Referring to FIGURE 5, apparatus embodied in the present invention is provided adjustable to accommodate containers of various heights by means of slotted apertures in the pedestal 23 for raising or lowering as required. As shown in FIGURE 5, anchor bolts 23w are provided as means for adjustably affixing the main base 21 of the apparatus to the conveyor frame 29.

Although an electric motor drive and cam actuated machine is described in these specifications, the basic features of the invention are also applicable as described in our copending application aforesaid, to attain the identical sequence of operation of the valve insertion without use of the electric motor and cams, such as by various types of pneumatic or hydraulic powered cylinders in combination with the actuating means for sequential operation of the closure applying member and the tube quide member between their upper position at which they receive the closures, as from the feed chute 26, and their lower position at which they center the dip tube and apply the closure to a container to be capped. Other variations of the cam elements 65, 79, and 95, such as positive motion tracked cams as positive drive elements in place of springs 78, 70, and 100' may be used as drive elements; or various types of well known single revolution clutching apparatus may be substituted for the clutch 40, illustrated at FIGURE 14.

It is to be noted that in the preferred form of embodiment described herein the valve cap is forced onto the container opening against the action of compression springs or may be gravitationally dropped onto the opening after the dip tube is well into the container by adjusting the arcuately downward travel of the arms 24 and 25 by means of the elements 24a and 25a.

The invention hereinabout set forth is embodied in particular forms and manners but may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for assembling dip tube closures to containers comprising in combination: an assembly unit, said unit comprising a closure applying member and a tube quide member movable from an upper level at which a container closure with a dip tube is to be received to a lower level above a container at which the applying member is to drive the dip tube into and the closure onto said container, said closure applying member. comprising an upper closure pressure applying element and a lower closure gripping element in position below the applying element to receive a container closure with a dip tube at said upper level for transfer to a container at said lower level, said tube guide member being operable at said upper level to be moved into guiding relation with a dip tube on a closure being grasped by said gripping element at said upper level and to be moved down along to the extremity of such tube to guide said tube in position to enter a container below the assembly unit, separate actuating means for moving said closure applying member and said tube guide member of the unit between said upper and lower level, sequence control operating means for moving the separate actuating means of the respective units in a predetermined sequence, and means for supporting the foregoing means in cooperative relationship.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which the sequence control operation means comprises rotatable circular cams and cam follower linkages attached to the respective actuating means to operate the same.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and in which the sequence control means comprises separating means operable to move the tube guide members out of the path of the closure applying members and to move the gripping elements out of the path of their pressure applying elements at their said lower level, for passage of the gripping element past the tube guide in seating a closure onto a container and for passage of the pressure applying element past the gripping element in applying pressure to the closure on a container after the gripping element releases the closure upon being moved out of the way.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 and which includes manipulative means for the gripping elements and the tube guide members for normally tending to hold them in gripping and guiding relation to a closure and its dip tube at their said upper levels.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, and in which said separating means comprises cams and cam followers.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and which includes a closure feed chute with means by which each closure is transferred from the feed chute to each assembly unit at their said upper level.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and in which the actuating means for the closure applying member and the tube guide member comprises radial rocker arms pivotally mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis and having the assembly unit mounted thereon radially outward from said pivotal axis for downward movement of the assembly unit through an arcuate path in guiding and applying the dip tube and container closures to the containers.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and in which the assembly unit and its sequence operating means are arranged for attachment and operation in offset relation to a conveyor which moves containers past the assembly unit, and in which trigger means are provided for setting the sequence control into operation by passage of individual containers on the conveyor.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, and in which the unit and its operating means are arranged for attachment and operation in offset relation to an endless belt conveyor in interrupted linear motion and in which trigger means are provided for releasing individual closures from on alignment thereof in an alignment chute at an upper level to a lower level in said chute by container on the conveyor.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and in which the assembly unit and its sequence control operating means are arranged for attachment and operation in offset relation to an intermittently moving endless belt conveyor which moves containers past the assembly unit, and in which trigger means are provided for setting the sequence control operation means into operation by portion of the conveyor, and in which trigger means are provided for releasing individual closures from a closure feed and alignment chute for transfer therefrom to closure gripping element portions of the assembly unit by passage of individual containers on the conveyor.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and in which the sequence control operation means is set to first move the dip tube guide member into guiding relation to the dip tube portions of a closure assembly grasped in the applying member at said upper level and to follow this by moving the tube guide member down along the dip tube to come to rest at the extremity of said tube, and to thereafter move the closure applying member with the closure and tube guide member in unison to a lower level above a container opening to position the dip tube extremity in position to enter said container opening at which lower level the dip tube guide member is arrested from further movement While the closure applying member with the closure assembly continues movement downward until a portion of the dip tube is partly into said container,

whereupon the tube guide member is moved out of guiding relation and the closure applying member continues to move downwardly to then seat cap portions of the closure assembly onto the opening of said container, and the gripping element of the closure applying member is operated to then release said cap portions and finally the pressure applying element of the closure applying member is operated to apply pressure to the seated cap portion to complete the assembly of a dip tubed closure to a container.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and in which the sequence control operating means is set to first move the dip tube guide member into guiding relation to the dip tube portions of the closure assembly grasped in the applying member at said upper level and to follow this by moving the tube guide member down along the dip tube to come to rest at the extremity of said tube, and to thereafter move the closure applying member with the closure and tube guide member in unison to a lower level above a container opening to position the dip tube extrem ity in position to enter said conttainer opening at which lower level the dip tube guide member is arrested from further movement while the closure applying member with the closure assembly continues movement downward until a major portion of the dip tube is partly into said container, whereupon the tube guide member is moved out of guiding relation, and the gripping element of the closure applying member operated to then release cap portions of the closure assembly to the top of the container.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which the sequence control operating means comprises a plurality of cams and a single revolution clutch on a rotatable shaft in combination for sequential operation of the respective actuating means of the assembly unit.

14. Apparatus for assembling individual dip tube closures to containers comprising, in combination; a main support for apparatus for assembling individual dip tubed closure assemblies to the opening of individual upright partially filled containers; a container platform holder affixed to said support for supporting an upright partially filled container; a closure applying member and a tube guide member each one sequentially movable in relation to each other from an upper level above a container on said platform, at which level a dip tubed closure assembly is to be received in and moved by said closure applying member, to a lower level above the opening of said container and at which lower level said tube guide member is to align dip tube extremity portions of said closure assembly over the opening of said container and said applying member is to drive said dip tube portions into said container and is to drive cap portions of said closure assembly onto the opening of said container; said closure applying member comprising actuating means, an upper pressure applying element in said actuating means and closure gripping elements in said actuating means in position below the applying element to receive and grasp cap portions of said closure assembly, with dip tube portions thereof extending downwardly, at said upper level for transfer to said lower level at the opening of said container on said platform, said tube guide member comprising guide member actuating means and a pair of dip tube guide elements movable supported in said guide member actuating means and operable at said upper level to be moved into guiding relation with dip tube portions of a said closure assembly grasped by said gripping elements at said upper level and to be moved down along said dip tube portions to be arrested at the extremity of said tube portions to guide same in position to enter said container, separating cams and cam followers in operable position to move the tube guide element out of the path of the closure applying member and to move the gripping elements out of the path of the pressure applying element at their said lower level, for passage of said gripping elements past said tube guide elements in seating cap portions of a dip tubed closure assembly onto said container, and for passage of the pressure applying element past said gripping elements in applying pressure to said cap portions after said gripping elements release said cap portions upon being moved out of the path of said pressure applying element; manipulative means on the gripping elements and the tube guide elements for normally tending to hold them in gripping and guiding relation to a closure and its dip tube at their said upper level; and powered sequence controlled operating means on said support comprising, cams and an electric motor driven single revolution clutch on a rotatable shaft on said support and separate cam follower linkages in cooperative relationship to said cams and attached to the separate actuating means of the closure applying member and dip tube guide member for sequentially moving the elements of each separate member between said upper and lower level.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 and in which said actuating means for the closure applying and tube guide members comprise separate rocker arms pivotally mounted for oscillation about a horizontal axis and having the gripper elements and pressure applying elements of the closure applying member mounted on one rocker arm radially outward from said axis, and having the tube guide elements of said tube guide member mounted on a separate rocker arm radially outward from said axis for downward movement of said applying and guide member through an arcuate path in guiding and applying the dip tube and cap portions of said closure assembly to said container.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 and wherein said horizontal axis is adjustable for vertical movement on said support for adapting the apparatus for operation with containers of different heights and dip tubed closureassemblies having different lengths of dip tubes.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 and in which the sequence controlled operating means is arranged for attachment and operation in offset relation to an endless belt conveyor in interrupted linear motion, and which includes a closure assembly alignment feed chute having discharge portions in feeding relation to said gripping elements in feed position at their said upper level, said chute comprising a pair of spaced apart members having opposed trackways for receiving cap portions of individual closure assemblies for guiding said assemblies in their sliding descent by gravity from a level above the upper level feed position of said gripping elements in a predetermined path of travel to said discharge portions of the feed chute said spaced apart members defining a space between the chute members for slidably receiving axially projecting portions of said closure assemblies, and which includes escapement means in said chute movable in to and out of interfering relation to the path of descent of said closure assemblies for releasing individual ones from an alignment thereof in said chute for transferof a released closure assembly to said gripping elements, transfer means in discharge portions of said chute for moving said released closure assembly from said chute into said gripping elements, and in which trigger means in cooperative relationship to containers on said conveyor are provided for setting said escapement means into operation by said containers and which includes separate trigger means, in cooperative relationship to said containers on said conveyor for setting the sequence controlled operating means into operation by said containers.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said separate trigger means are in cooperative relationship with movable elements of the said conveyor rather than in cooperative relationship with containers on said conveyor.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 and in which said sequence controlled operating means is set first to move the tube guide elements into guiding relation with dip tube portions of the closure assembly grasped in the gripping elements at said upper level, and to follow this by moving said guide elements down along the dip tube to be arrested at the dip tube extremity at a lower level to guide the dip tube in position above the opening of a container, and to follow this by moving the closure applying member and closure assembly downward in unison to drive portions of the dip tube into the container and to follow this by moving the tube guide elements out of guiding relationship to said dip tube and out of interfering relation to the path of continuing travel of said applying 10 member and closure assembly cap portions as the applying member drives remaining portions of the dip tube into said container and seats said cap portions onto the container opening and to follow this by the opening of said gripping elements for the release of said cap portions to the following actions of the pressure applying element in pressing said cap portions onto the container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,810,249 10/57 Wysocki 53-3l9 X 2,914,843 12/59 Petersen 2920B 2,949,665 8/60 Bergsland 29-203 3,118,218 1/64 Gleason et al 29-211 X WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner. THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING DIP TUBE CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: AN ASSEMBLY UNIT, SAID UNIT COMPRISING A CLOSURE APPLYING MEMBER AND A TUBE QUIDE MEMBER MOVABLE FROM AN UPPER LEVEL AT WHICH A CONTAINER CLOSURE WITH A DIP TUBE IS TO BE RECEIVED TO A LOWER LEVEL ABOVE A CONTAINER AT WHICH THE APPLYING MEMBER IS TO DRIVE THE DIP TUBE INTO AND THE CLOSURE ONTO SAID CONTAINER, SAID CLOSURE APPLYING MEMBER COMPRISING AN UPPER CLOSURE PRESSURE APPLYING ELEMENT AND A LOWER CLOSURE GRIPPING ELEMENT IN POSITION BELOW THE APPLYING ELEMENT TO RECEIVE A CONTAINER CLOSURE AT SAID UPPER LEVEL FOR TRANSFER TO A CONTAINER AT SAID LOWER LEVEL, SAID TUBE GUIDE MEMBER BEING OPERABLE AT SAID UPPER LEVEL TO BE MOVED INTO GUIDING RELATION WITH A DIP TUBE ON A CLOSURE BEING GRASPED BY SAID GRIPPING ELEMENT AT SAID UPPER LEVEL AND TO BE MOVED DOWN ALONG TO THE EXTREMITY OF SUCH TUBE TO GUIDE SAID TUBE IN POSITION TO ENTER A CONTAINER BELOW THE ASSEMBLY UNIT, SEPARATE ACTUATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CLOSURE APPLYING MEMBER AND SAID TUBE GUIDE MEMBER OF THE UNIT BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEVEL, SEQUENCE CONTROL OPERATING MEANS FOR MOVING THE SEPARATE ACTUATING MEANS OF THE RESPECTIVE UNITS IN A PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE FOREGOING MEANS IN COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP. 